An Indonesian appeals court cut the prison sentence of Gojek founder and former education minister Nadiem Makarim to nine years from 10 years on Thursday, September 24, 2026, following a graft conviction tied to improper laptop procurement. Judges rejected his appeal to dismiss all charges, maintaining that the previous ruling aligned with established trial facts, evidence, and witness testimony.
Appeal Ruling and Sentence Reductions by Jakarta High Court
During a televised court hearing on September 24, 2026, the Jakarta High Court upheld Nadiem Makarim’s corruption conviction regarding the procurement of Google Chromebooks and the Chrome Device Management platform for schools. Judge Catur Iriantoro announced the panel’s decision to reject the defense’s request for a full dismissal.
The appeals panel also lowered the financial restitution Nadiem must pay. Judge Subachran Hardi Mulyana confirmed that the restitution amount dropped to 548 billion rupiah, down from the 809 billion rupiah imposed by the Central Jakarta Corruption Court in June. Prosecutors had previously alleged that decisions made between 2020 and 2022 to procure 1.6 million Chromebooks at inflated prices caused $125 million in state losses.
Mitigating Factors and Court Findings on Google Procurement
In determining the sentence reduction, the judges cited several mitigating factors, including Nadiem’s conduct throughout the trial, his lack of previous convictions, his family responsibilities, and his past contributions to job creation in the transportation sector via Gojek. However, the court maintained that his actions legally and convincingly proved corruption committed alongside three other defendants, who received prison sentences ranging from four to five years.
The appellate judges reaffirmed that Nadiem adjusted tender requirements to favor Chrome, which benefited Google and restricted fair competition during the pandemic-era digital learning rollout. Prosecutors originally charged that the procurement framework led to inflated costs for schools attempting to adopt remote learning technology.
Defense Reactions and Next Legal Steps in Indonesia
Following the verdict, Nadiem expressed sharp disappointment to reporters, stating that the credibility of the Indonesian law enforcement system had become a victim. His defense counsel, Ari Yusuf Amir, stated that the legal team remains unsatisfied with the reduction and will register an appeal with the Supreme Court as early as Friday, September 25, 2026. The defense maintains that Nadiem committed no corruption and that all procurement procedures followed applicable rules, having sought a total acquittal rather than a reduced term.
Under Indonesia’s new Criminal Procedure Code, both defendants and prosecutors can challenge High Court rulings. Because the Supreme Court examines whether the lower courts correctly applied the law rather than conducting a full retrial of facts and evidence, the upcoming filing will focus on points of law rather than new witness testimony.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Nadiem Makarim convicted of?
Nadiem was convicted of corruption and abuse of authority regarding the procurement of Google Chromebooks and the Chrome Device Management platform for schools during his tenure as education minister.
How much did the Jakarta High Court reduce his sentence and restitution?
The appeals court reduced his prison sentence from 10 years to nine years and lowered the required restitution from 809 billion rupiah to 548 billion rupiah.
What is the defense team’s next move?
Defense lawyer Ari Yusuf Amir announced that the legal team will immediately file an appeal with the Supreme Court to seek a full acquittal.